MobileViews.com Podcast

In MobileViews 633,Jon Westfall and I discussed new hardware arrivals, digital workflows, and AI infrastructure trends. I bid farewell to my M4 MacBook Air in anticipation of a new with PROLED XDR Nano Texture Display and capacitive touchscreen. I also shared early impressions of my new iPad Mini A20 Pro, praising its glare-reducing nano-texture screen, rich colors, lightning-fast Touch ID sensor, IP67 dust and water resistance, and light weight (293 grams). We also discussed the specialized care required for nano-texture displays, which must be cleaned using (optionally) 70% isopropyl alcohol and Apple's included polishing cloth rather than standard glass cleaners. The hardware discussion extended to shipping logistics and software fixes. Jon shared delivery expectations for his 512GB iPhone Duo and praised accessory maker Dbrand for sending clear emails to customers assuring them that pre-orders will ship before Black Friday promotional sales are fulfilled. On the software side, I reported that a recent Googlebook OS update successfully resolved a persistent bug that previously blocked wired USB microphones like the Boya CM40 I frequently use for podcasting. We also explored the psychology of AI chatbot interactions, noting how users personify models trained on human data, how automated guardrails prevent verbal abuse, and why AI offers a low-stress, non-transactional conversational outlet for busy individuals. We finisheed up the episode with updates on custom app development, workflow streamlining, and media tools. Jon detailed fully phasing out the Day One app in favor of Obsidian, using ChatGPT, custom scripts, and the Auto Health Export app to ingest daily Apple Health "state of mind" ratings (-1 to 1 scale) into color-coded data tables. Jon also showcased Docside—a custom native macOS Swift app he built with ChatGPT to manage menu bar services—and recommended Thaw, an open-source macOS menu bar manager. We finished by noting Canva’s release of a free, all-in-one Affinity graphics app redesigned specifically for iPad, as well as Google Beams. It uses a specialized 65-inch light field display and an array of cameras and depth sensors to project the other person as a life-sized, 3D presence without needing VR goggles or AR glasses.

In MobileViews 632, Jon Westfall, Sven Johannsen, Don Sorcinelli, and I discussed Apple's late-October product announcements and mobile hardware usability. We started with the 2026 iPad Mini, highlighting its new IP67 dust and water resistance rating, under-screen vibration audio that eliminates physical speaker grilles, and an optional nano-texture display starting at $699. We also had a discussion on cellular tablets versus personal hotspot tethering, where I recalled AT&T throttling my tethered data after 5GB during a recent hurricane broadband outage despite 15GB plan allowances. The centerpiece of the episode was Apple's long awaited announcement of the touchscreen MacBook Pro (starting at $2,899, plus $150 for nano-texture glass). We debated the ergonomics of laptop touchscreens, recalling Steve Jobs' famous warning about vertical touch surfaces causing arm fatigue, while noting that Apple's touch-responsive UI spacing gives it a better chance at success despite lacking Apple Pencil support. We also examined the hardware specifications, noting that base models now start with 24GB or 32GB of RAM. We finished up with updates on software quirks, spatial computing, and shipping timelines. I noted the Amazon Alexa Tablet 8's sluggish and odd UI Silk browser wrapper for Amazon shopping, Jon noted his continued positive experiences using the Apple Vision Pro with a Magic Keyboard, and shared our delivery expectations for upcoming hardware.

In MobileViews 631, Jon Westfall and I discussed more Googlebook OS software frustrations (the hardware is fine), spatial computing experiences, and storm preparation in Hawaii (again)]. I shared my ongoing experience with my Googlebook, praising the physical hardware while expressing disappointment in Googlebook OS's inability to run graphical Linux apps, as well as frustrating UI quirks in the pre-installed Gmail app when managing filtered emails. Meanwhile, Jon shared updates on the iPhone Duo launch, highlighting customer shipping frustrations and early reports of a screen bubbling and cracking defect near the hinge that Apple is immediately replacing. Jon shared his experience purchasing a used 1TB Apple Vision Pro on eBay for $2,300 and successfully adding AppleCare coverage after passing an in-store diagnostic check at an Apple Store. He praised the headset for effectively doubling his Mac screen real estate and offering immersive 3D movie playback, while outlining plans to develop custom Vision OS apps. Additionally, Jon detailed using ChatGPT as a virtual technical assistant to securely deploy OpenClaw on an M4 Pro MacBook Pro—configuring Tailscale mesh networking, external drive shutdown triggers, and automated upgrade/rollback scripts. We concluded the podcast with local utilities (electricity and wired broadband) infrastructure updates, health tracking, and tech history. I discussed preparing for an unusual "monsoon trough" storm in Hawaii by acquiring an EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus 1,024Wh power station from Costco, while lamenting persistent, frequent, unannounced, multi-hour Spectrum cable broadband outages. I also mentioned receiving an Apple Watch Fitness readiness score of 1 and wondering how to interpret it. And we reminisced about the open-sourced Apollo lunar lander computer code hosted on GitHub. Finally, I shared my gut-instinct hope for a touchscreen MacBook Pro announcement at Apple's upcoming October 28th event.

In MobileViews 630, Jon Westfall, guest panelist Sven Johannsen, and I discussed the new Googlebook laptop hardware (Acer & Dell), smart home hubs, and emergency connectivity. I shared my ongoing external USB microphone failures on the Acer Googlebook 14, noting that while the hardware is solid, Googlebook OS feels like an unpolished "0.5 release". In contrast, Sven shared his positive impressions of the Snapdragon X Elite-powered Dell Googlebook, praising its Dell XPS-derived chassis, smooth trackpad, and excellent battery life. We also recounted my four-day Spectrum cable broadband outage in Hawaii that forced me to rely on satellite SOS texting, prompting me to explore Amazon's upcoming LEO satellite internet service as a backup option. Then, we discussed smart home hubs and the new Amazon Alexa tablets which run full Android with Google Play Store access. Sven bought the high end Alexa Tablet 12 Nano-mat display while I bought the low-end Alexa Tablet 8. Sven highlighted the glare-reducing 12-inch nanomat display, and we both praised the specialized Kindle app's e-ink-like reading mode that transforms full-color screens into low-distraction reading environments.. We also discussed Apple’s recently announced HomeView smart hubs, criticizing the identical pricing between the wall-mounted and base-mounted models despite wall mounts omitting speakers and requiring separate $50 to $120 mounting hardware. We wrapped with updates on Apple iPhone Duo pre-orders, wearable health metrics, and ecosystem subscriptions. Jon and Sven shared their delayed shipping estimates for the pre-ordered iPhone Duo , with estimated delivery dates in November. We expressed frustration with the Apple Watch's readiness score for penalizing lower resting heart rates and dropping scores after routine afternoon walks. Finally, Sven detailed managing an Apple Care Family plan covering 19 devices across his household, while Jon highlighted Vorssaint, a Mac OS menu-bar utility, and shared how he learned that used devices can qualify for ApplecCare after passing a clean diagnostic check at an Apple Store.

In MobileViews 629, Jon Westfall, guest panelist Don Sorcinelli, and I discussed cloud storage policy shifts, new Android based Googlebooks, and Googlebook OS growing pains. I recorded the episode on my new Acer Googlebook 14, though a pre-show Googlebook microphone glitch with a Comica EJOY D10 Pro forced me to rely on the laptop's built-in microphone. We opened with Microsoft’s upcoming M365 storage policy changes for consumer subscriptions, which will cap family plans at a total of 2 TB starting in early 2027 rather than 1 TB per user, raising concerns for families using OneDrive for photo and video backups. I also shared details about ordering Amazon's new Alexa Tablet 8-9 inch model  ($280 list), which runs Google Android with Play Store access, though Don noted that the new aluminum-body device omits the microSD card slot found on older Fire models. A major segment of the podcast was dedicated to a hands-on review of the Acer Googlebook 14. While Jon and I agreed that the $899 hardware, display, and keyboard are top-notch, the Googlebook OS currently behaves like an early beta release. I walked through several software headaches, including Chrome browser crashes, fillable PDF form fields disappearing during printing (requiring printing on a MacBook Neo instead), graphical Linux applications like Audacity failing to launch, and file syncing quirks in OneDrive. Despite these early adopter bugs, the hardware remains promising with the expectation that  Google continues to refine the platform. Don provided an enterprise perspective on Windows updates and Surface Pro ARM devices, detailing Microsoft's chaotic September "patch palooza" where over 900 fixes broke Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) functionality and an Alberta timezone preview caused application timing errors. He also explained why enterprise adoption of ARM Surface Pros remains slow due to driver-level incompatibilities with VPNs and security software. We wrapped up with two clever hardware and software hacks from Jon: securing a legitimate Windows 11 Pro license for $7.49 via Groupon for a virtual machine on his M4 MacBook Pro, and using an Uptab adapter recommended by ChatGPT to revive a 2010 27-inch Apple Cinema Display with single-cable USB-C power delivery.

In MobileViews 628, Jon Westfall, Sven Johannsen, and I discussed the retail rollout of the new Google Googlebooks. I shared my frustration over the delivery delay for my pre-ordered Acer model even though it is currently at the delivery company's location less than 20 miles from me, while Sven highlighted sparse local stock at Best Buy locations. The nearest Best Buy with Googlebooks in stock was 240 miles distant from Sven.  We clarified that actual Googlebook pricing ranges from $899 for entry-level models to $1,400 for premium hybrids, with Google committing to a 10-year OS support window through mid-2034 for current Chromebooks. I noted that I chose the $899 Acer unit specifically for its native USI 2.0 stylus support, and we debated iPad desktop replacement workflows versus remote VNC setups. Our AI software discussion focused on practical workflows and new feature rollouts. I highlighted getting access to Google Notebook's live voice chat on mobile, while Jon shared how he trained his Gemini notebook to generate complete clinical psychology course packages—including MARP slide decks, case study vignettes, and facilitator guides. We also looked ahead to the "rambler" speech cleanup tool built into Googlebook OS and considered Meta's new announcements, including why someone would want a camera-free Ray-Ban audio glasses designed for environmental transparency (instead of just using earbuds with an AI service on a paired phone) and the pocket-sized Muse Charm personal AI device. We finished up with a discussion of mobile phone network resilience and multi-device service plans. Sven detailed his experience configuring dual eSIMs on Pixel phones to run Google Fi alongside T-Mobile, as well as signing up for the Apple Care Family plan ($49.99/month) to cover 18 devices across his household. I reflected on my reliance on AT&T’s satellite SOS texting during a recent 46.5-hour local power outage which resulted in AT&T wireless service being severely degraded or completely unavailable for several days.

Jon Westfall was not available to record a podcast this week. So, I recorded a very short mini-podcast mostly of mini-rants with the exception of my positive mini-review of the ESR Geo Digital Pencil for the iPad.

In MobileViews 627, Jon Westfall, guest panelist Sven Johannsen, and I convened to discuss our initial impressions of new Apple releases, emerging hardware, and developer updates. We started off discussing Googlebook pre-orders starting on Sept. 21 with rumored prices of $1,000 to $2,000, as well as the new Gemini desktop app for Windows. I noted my interest in the Boox Note Mini C running Android 16 with its powered InkSight stylus, while Jon and Sven discussed using their Kobo and Kindle e-readers for portable reading. Jon also shared ongoing challenges with university students misidentifying professor names and miskeying booking email addresses, prompting him to start building a Copilot Studio scheduling chatbot integrated with Microsoft Teams. Apple's latest hardware lineup was up next as I shared my experience with the new Apple Watch Series 12 with its included magnetic band and the iPhone 18 Pro, highlighting its identical 4x optical zoom compared to the 5x available in the older 15 Pro Max model. Sven shared his purchases of the Apple Watch Ultra 4, AirPods 5, and an iPhone 18 Pro XL for his wife, while Jon showcased his Apple Watch Ultra 4 with its flexible translucent ocean band and custom ChatGPT-designed watch faces. On the software side, I praised iOS 27's video frame extraction tool and custom EQ settings on AirPods Pro 3, while Sven noted Google's "made you look" external animation feature for entertaining children during photography on foldables. We then learned about the extensive development and accessibility update that Jon and his AI developer assistants made for his Podium classroom platform, completing a real VPS deployment spanning 88 commits and 91,000 lines across 115 files that added live polls, an audio mixer, and ambient pre-lecture music with Claude acting as a virtual sysadmin. We also touched on cellular options, comparing a secondary $10 Google Fi data line with AT&T's unrestricted roaming in Mexico. Finally, Sven highlighted Meta's initiative providing free Ray-Ban AI glasses to blind veterans to read notes and select clothing, leading into a discussion on AR glasses featuring built-in diopter adjustments for prescription-free use.

Jon Westfall and I are joined by long-time friend and frequent guest panelist Steven Hughes for MobileViews Podcast 626. In this podcast, I start with a brief first-world-problems mini-rant about my wired broadband internet service provider being mostly down for 3 days prior to the podcast (I saw a brief network drop during the podcast but remained on the call - thanks to buffers?). I want to express my sincere gratitude to Jon, Steven, and other friends/panelists who have patiently listened to my podcast rants for nearly 20 years :-). And, thanks to Jon for recording this week's podcast! We did this in case I lost network connectivity and needed to use my phone and LTE/5G to reconnect to complete the podcast session.

In MobileViews 625, Jon Westfall and I started off with hardware updates and a bit of TV Sci-Fi nostalgia. Following a recommendation from Sven Johannsen, I purchased a Satechi Slim EX wireless mouse , though Sven ribbed me because its silver color doesn’t match my indigo MacBook Neo. The mouse's native USB-C dongle prompted us to discuss how USB-A, despite the industry shift, will likely remain a fixture in our adapter bags for a long time. We also celebrated the upcoming 60th anniversary of the original Star Trek series on September 8th, sharing childhood memories of being terrified of Mr. Spock, analyzing Riker’s first-season lack of a beard and Worf's voice changes in The Next Generation, and recommending the Dropping Names with Brent and Johnny, a podcast by ST:TNG stars Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner that focuses on general entertainment industry history rather than just Star Trek. Our software discussion touched on a mix of AI productivity, weather tracking, and backup systems. While monitoring the "hockey-stick" path of tropical storm Lowell south of Hawaii and Karina to the north of Hawaii, I’ve been using Google DeepMind’s Weather Lab using the new "Weather Next 3" model, paired with twice-daily automated reports from Google Spark. In other AI workflows, I’ve been testing Google Pics (an evolution of Nano Banana), which lets users directly edit text and select objects inside AI-generated images, while Jon has been using MARP (Markdown Presentation Ecosystem) to convert Markdown into presentations. We also noted that Windows 10 and 11 now enable automatic cloud backup by default, prompting us to reminisce about our days as mobile MVPs in the early 2000s when Microsoft resisted our pleas to make cloud syncing the default standard. We wrapped up with predictions for Apple’s September 9th event, which is on a Wednesday this year instead of a Tuesday. Because September 11th falls on a Friday, we speculate that Apple might shift pre-orders to Saturday. Between the rumored foldable iPhone, Watch Series 12, Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5, we debated our upgrade paths. I’m particularly interested in the Watch Series 12 as my 15 Pro battery degrades, but the lack of a telephoto lens on the rumored foldable iPhone is a dealbreaker. However, a rumored iOS 27 feature called "iPhone Handoff" might seamlessly share a single phone number across two devices—a "diabolical" strategy that might just force enthusiasts to buy both a single-screen Pro and a foldable.